The shining jewels of the city
Hang on! What’s an engine got to do with a bug? And what on earth do the keys and ignition emphasise?
As the sun gleamed overhead, the Beetle shone up elegantly with its round glassy front eyes. It came glistening, thanks to the illuminating rays, with its posh blue body reflecting the open sky above.
As the keys were turned in the ignition, the blue beetle roared into life. As the engine started pumping life into the bug, the beetle moved on and criss-crossed through the numerous alleys of the bustling city.
Hang on! What's an engine got to do with a bug? And what on earth do the keys and ignition emphasise?
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The blue bug in question is a vintage 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, and that too on the run in Dhaka city.
The Volkswagen Beetle is officially the Volkswagen Type 1 and informally the Käfer (meaning "beetle") in German. It's a two-door, rear-engine economy car, intended for five occupants, that was manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003.
The Blue Beetle is one among the many collectables of Md Didarul Islam Sujan, owner of Abacus Convention Center, and an avid vintage car collector of our time.
"I had a knack for collecting cars from an early age. I initially started by collecting toy cars. After continuing that hobby for some time, I started contemplating buying a real one for good. I always had a certain attraction for vintage," said Sujan reflecting on the early days.
This vintage collector remembers purchasing his first car in 1997 for BDT 32,000. It was a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle.
Recalling the good old story, Sujan reflected, "I remember approaching my dad for helping me with the purchase. In the beginning, he was not at all happy, but when I told him the price, he jumped at the offer without a second thought."
Other notable mentions in his collection includes a 1964 Toyota Corona RT40, a BMW E30 and two classic Volkswagen buses.
When asked about modifications, the vintage collector strongly advised against it. He said that when it comes to vintages and classics, they do not prefer modifications; rather re-furbish the vehicle in its original state.
"If you look at countries like the United States or Britain, they measure the heritage of their cities based on how old these automobiles are. Maybe someday we might follow the same trend," added Sujan.
Thus, Sujan referred to these old beauties as "jewels of cities". For now, Sujan is quite busy preserving these timeless jewels.
